Battery module and battery pack including the same

Abstract

A battery module includes a battery cell stack including a plurality of battery cells stacked in a first direction; an exterior member configured to surround front and rear sides and two opposite lateral sides of the battery cell stack; and sensing blocks positioned at front and rear sides of the battery cell stack, in which the sensing blocks are positioned between the exterior member and the front and rear sides of the battery cell stack, and in which upper and lower sides of the battery cell stack are exposed.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A battery module comprising:
 a battery cell stack including a plurality of battery cells stacked in a first direction;   an exterior member configured to surround a front side, a rear side and two opposite lateral sides of the battery cell stack; and   sensing blocks positioned at the front side and the rear side of the battery cell stack,   wherein an upper side and a lower side of the battery cell stack are exposed,   wherein the battery cell stack includes electrode leads extending from at least one of the front side and the rear side,   wherein the sensing blocks are positioned between the exterior member and the front side and the rear side of the battery cell stack,   wherein the two opposite lateral sides are the outermost surfaces of the battery cell stack based on the first direction, and   wherein the sensing blocks cover the at least one of the front and rear sides of the battery cell stack from which electrode leads protrude, respectively.   
     
     
         2 . The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein:
 an outer surface of the exterior member is exposed.   
     
     
         3 . The battery module of  claim 2 , wherein:
 a width of the exterior member is equal to or smaller than a width of the battery cell stack.   
     
     
         4 . The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the exterior member is positioned adjacent to a lower portion of the battery cell stack.   
     
     
         5 . The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the exterior member is made of an elastic material.   
     
     
         6 . The battery module of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the exterior member is formed by wrapping the front side, the rear side and the two opposite lateral sides of the battery cell stack with a film made of an elastic material.   
     
     
         7 . The battery module of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the exterior member is configured as a thermal contraction tube, and   the thermal contraction tube is opened at upper and lower sides thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein:
 compressive pads are positioned between the exterior member and the two opposite lateral sides of the battery cell stack.   
     
     
         9 . The battery module of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the compressive pads extend along the lateral side of the battery cell stack.   
     
     
         10 . The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the exterior member surrounds the battery cell stack while pressing the battery cell stack in a predetermined direction.   
     
     
         11 . The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein:
 an outer surface of the battery cell stack is attached to an inner surface of the exterior member.   
     
     
         12 . A battery pack comprising:
 a pack frame on which at least two battery modules according to  claim 1  are mounted,   wherein the pack frame comprises:
 a lower pack frame on which the at least two battery modules are mounted; and 
 an upper pack frame configured to cover upper portions of the at least two battery modules. 
   
     
     
         13 . The battery pack of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the lower pack frame comprises a plurality of module regions in which the at least two battery modules are mounted, and   the plurality of module regions is defined by a plurality of beams extending from a first side toward a second side of the lower pack frame.   
     
     
         14 . The battery pack of  claim 13 , wherein:
 an outer surface of the exterior member contacts with the beam.   
     
     
         15 . The battery pack of  claim 13 , wherein:
 thermally conductive resin layers are respectively formed in the module regions.   
     
     
         16 . The battery pack of  claim 15 , wherein:
 a lower surface of the battery cell stack contacts with the thermally conductive resin layer.   
     
     
         17 . The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the upper side and the lower side of the battery cell stack are completely exposed.   
     
     
         18 . The battery module of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the compressive pad is configured to assist the exterior member in pressing an outer surface of the battery cell stack.